Iowa Hawkeyes vs. UCLA Bruins 1/17/25 NCAA Men’s Basketball Top Predictions

Iowa Hawkeyes vs. UCLA Bruins 1/17/25 – The battle between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the UCLA Bruins this Friday, promises to be one of the best encounters of the NCAA Men’s Basketball season. The Hawkeyes travel over to the iconic Pauley Pavilion with a good record of 12-5, to face the Bruins who have a record of 11-6. A victory could be potentially of great importance in the postseason. Both the teams have engaged in brilliantly organized and at times poorly structured sessions throughout the season, so this matchup would be really exciting.

Team	SP/RL	TOTAL	ML
Hawkeyes	+7 (-110)	Over 155 (-110)	+210
Bruins	-7 (-110)	Under 155 (-110)	-263

Another day of work. #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/McRYUeK9ZU

— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) January 16, 2025

According to the betting line, UCLA is heavily favored by a -7 margin indicating strong performance in recent home games. Meanwhile Iowa can be seen as underdogs at a moneyline of +210 although recent games suggest they are able to cover the spread which may entice some risk-takers. The over/under is pegged at 155 along with the trend both teams heavily scored in recent games.

Owen Freeman (Forward) vs. Tyler Bilodeau (Forward)

Owen Freeman’s astonishing performance was impressive for the Hawkeyes during the season as he scored an average of 17.1 points and shot 64.3% from the floor. His contributions in the interior were underscored by his averages of 6.7 rebounds and 2.2 blocks and made him an effective factor. Iowa benefits from Freeman’s effectiveness especially with UCLA’s dreadful defense which has at times shown gaps this season.

On the other hand, Tyler Bilodeau has proved to be a huge asset for the Bruins with his average of 14.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in a game. Although his stats are not as high as Freeman’s, UCLA surely gets important scoring chances courtesy of Bilodeau’s 38.8% rate from shooting threes, and 72.2% rate in shooting free throws. His all-around ability can create problems for the Iowa defense which will have to consider his scoring threat from both inside and outside the three-point arc as evidenced by his emerging talents.

Hawkeye High Scoring Hustle

The Iowa Hawkeyes’ offensive is impressive, with them scoring an average of 89.5 points per game which is exceptional, ranking them one of the best in the nation, furthermore they possess an excellent field goal percentage of 51 percent. Even though the team lost the match against USC with a score of 89-99, they showcased their skills by avenging their loss with a high-scoring match against Indiana, beating them 85-60. These results along with their exceptional skills prove that they can pose a threat to almost all of their opponents.

Bruin’s Home Court Advantage

UCLA has a strong home advantage with the statistics of winning 9 out of the last 11 games played at the Pauley Pavilion. However, the Bruin boys have been struggling this season, losing in their last two matches to Rutgers and Maryland, where they scored just 68 and 61 points respectively. The drop in their performance makes them look a little weak which might be a point that Iowa can take advantage of particularly if UCLA’s defense isn’t able to control the fast-paced Iowa offense.

Trends

Iowa Hawkeyes Betting Trends

Iowa are 5-2 ATS in their last 7 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Iowa’s last 6 games.
Iowa are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games.
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Iowa’s last 5 games on the road.
The total has gone OVER in 6 of Iowa’s last 7 games against an opponent in the Big Ten conference.